What Friends Are For
by ChocoAndCigs
Summary: Wammy's day at the pool. When two punks push Matt in when he can't swim, what'll Mello do to get even and save his friend?


[I went to Disneyland Saturday for my friends fourteenth birthday! It was so amazing. I was so happy watching Fantasmic for the first time I almost started crying! I'm going to Disneyland again tomorrow because after my dad heard about my fun he wants the whole family to go! So one day in Disneyland (again. We're leaving at three in the morning) and one day at the beach. :D This is one of the coolest weeks of my life. I mean, I live five hours away from Disneyland, so it's not a normal thing to go.

P.S. I know the Wammy's House doesn't seem like the type to do this kind of stuff but... it _is_ a fanfiction. So I'm sorry if the inaccuracy bugs anyone.

Wish my fun at Disneyland (again xD) and please review everybody! It's inspiring!

Don't-own-eet! If I did, the two "M's" would be the main characters. K thx, bai!]

"**A friend is someone who, upon seeing another friend in immense pain, would rather be the one experiencing the pain than to have to watch their friend suffer."**

**- Unknown**

**The right side of my skull thwacked into the dirty glass window of the public school bus for the hundredth time in approximately ten minutes. I quickly yanked my head away from the glass with a harshly whispered, "Ouch!" just to get back into the same uncomfortable position I had been in moments ago: with my head thumping against the solid glass every time we'd go over the slightest bump in the road. My eight year old "buttons" were far beyond pushed and Wammy's annual summer pool trip wasn't helping the situation out in the least. Now, mind me, I don't exactly hate going out in highly chlorinated water and beating anybody and everybody I can at swimming races, diving, and your typical who-can-hold-their-breath-the-longest contests. But three things in particular set me off at these occasional outings. One is that big-head Near himself tags along whether anyone likes it or not. Two is Matt. He just shades his stupid red-headed self with a beach towel, sits on one of those pool chairs, and attempts to hide the mechanical game console he brings with him from Roger. Lastly is that there are much more important and intellectual things I could be doing with my day then kicking the asses of poor, innocent genius kids at pool games.**

**But apparently Roger doesn't really see it fit that I study twenty-four seven because once every summer he drags me, along with all the other unwilling orphans to a public pool in Winchester. Just as the thought of how long this bus ride felt popped into my mind, the crap-kicker of a school bus screeched on it's rusted brakes. Roger stood up from the second row in the aisle and clapped his hands together to get our attention.**

"**You all know how to behave. Find a buddy. Don't leave the pool area. If anyone needs assistance inform myself or the lifeguard immediately." he announced blandly, with a grimace. It seemed whenever Roger was around children he was uncomfortable or upset. Or a mixture of both. All seventeen of us six to twelve year olds stood up in the cramped aisle. Matt, who was sitting just a row behind me, scurried to grab hold of my left wrist.**

"**Partners?" he quipped. I rolled my eyes.**

"**Is there even a need to ask me anymore?" He gave me his Jack O' Lantern smile. I use the term Jack O' Lantern with the utmost seriousness. The little twerp had lost a tooth a week ago. And a week before that another one knocked out. It must have been loose because I didn't hit him **_**that**_** hard. Although all the gaps in his mouth were sort of cute. For **_**girls**_** to see... I guess... We shuffled our way out of the yellow bus and as everyone lined up in twos, it puttered away with a cloud of gray smog. Us genius children waited as patiently as we could for Roger to dismiss us and when he did, after another reminder of the rules, the kids scattered like ants whose anthill had just got soda pop spilled on it. Talk about over excitement. Matt practically sprinted to the nearest pool chair before they all got taken. He dragged me, stumbling to keep up with him and released my arm as soon as his butt hit the chair.**

"**What's the point of wanting to be my buddy if you don't even go in the water?" I eyed him as he pulled a blue and white striped towel from an oversized backpack and tented it over his head.**

"**You know." he shrugged and explained to me for the thousandth time, "The water's cold, red-heads sunburn easily, I'd rather be playing Pokemon Gold..." he glanced around and than lowered his voice an octave or two, "And plus, you know I can't swim for my dear life."**

**I scoffed and told him straight, "Always the same excuses." With another shrug he dismissed me and sneakily pulled his Nintendo DS from the smallest section in his strangely large backpack.**

"**Tch, whatever." I yanked off my tee shirt and threw it at Matt's head. He poked his tongue out only momentarily before retreating back into his game and pulling his orange tinted goggles up to his eyes. I finished organizing my things under the pool that said-gamer was playing on and approached the light blue water of the pool. Near was already contently playing with a lemon colored rubber duck. He was floating in a small, one-person, poka-dot innertube. The temptation to drown the little lone sheep was very hard to resist, but I could see Roger giving me the "don't even think about it" look from a few feet to my right. I waved coyly at the old man before doing a cannonball into the chilled water. As soon as I resurfaced I looked back over to a now dripping wet albino. With a mocking laugh I splashed his face again and ducked beneath the safety of the rippling water before Roger could come closer to scold me.**

**I was swimming so close to the bottom of the pool that I was practically crawling along it. When I opened my eyes to the blurry, underwater world I could see the little air bubbles that floated from my mouth squirm five feet to the surface. I than let the stored oxygen out in a rush and scrambled to get some air. The hot air made my eyes sting. I've always the feel of the pool chemicals in my eyes. **_**'Maybe I should use Matt's goggles.' **_**I glanced over to the direction of the pool chair he had claimed but he was absent. His towel lay strewn near the legs of the seat. Hmm... not very out of character for someone as disorganized as him, but leaving his seat at all was odd. He'd never up and pause in the middle of his game. **

**I hung onto the pool's edge, other kids jumping around me, and my eyes darted around trying to catch a glimpse of red hair. I spotted him, being held by each arm by a pair of twelve or thirteen year old guys near the deepest end of the waters.**

**Oh **_**hell**_** no.**

**Matt was kicking his legs even though they were about two inches in the air and it was clear that he was shouting at the two but considering I was twenty plus feet away from him and there were dozens of screaming kids around me, I couldn't hear him. Not that I needed to, the look of fear on his face was saying enough for me. I hauled myself out of the water and onto the wet cement. Storming over toward the two soon-to-be-dead boys increased my rage with every quickly taken step. I stopped within a foot of them; my hands on my hips, dripping wet, a look of pissed and determined mixed on my face.**

"**Mello!" Matt exclaimed as he spotted me and his body squirmed, still attempting to free himself. The one's holding him captive paused mid-stride only an inch from the pool's edge.**

"**What the hell?" the dark haired guy on Matt's right arm finally croaked.**

"**What do you want shrimp?" the other one on the left threw his two sense in. I hardened my glare on the pair.**

"**Put him down." I hissed, voice like poison, "**_**Now." **_**What they did next can only be described as cackle. Ech, people annoy me. When they didn't release him, I stepped forward.**

"**Did you hear me you brainless mutts? Drop him." They smirked at the same time and put Matt on the ground. Before I could even congratulate myself on a job well done, the dark haired boy pushed Matt into the water. My anger boiled over and I exploded. I lunged for the one who had pushed him, kicking and punching and biting with all the adrenaline my four foot three inch body could muster. The guy was cussing up a storm and punching me back with his meaty fists, in my blind fury I hardly noticed the pain. I also seemed to neglect the fact that Matt was in six feet of water and **_**couldn't swim. **_**As soon as I realized my best friend was probably drowning a foot away from me, I also realized that this fight could wait. I dug my teeth my teeth from the guy's arm and jumped back into the water. The chlorine stung my cuts and bruises that I'd received from the older kid, but I ignored my discomfort and rushed to a struggling Matt. I grabbed his arm, trying to bring him out of his frenzied state of fear. He was totally crazed. Like a cat in the water he kept trying to pull **_**me**_** under to keep **_**himself**_** afloat. That douche bag! But I guess a person's instincts are just like that so I couldn't blame him. Finally when I put my arms around his waist, he clutched both of his arms around my neck. And right at my moment of triumph the dumb lifeguard chick jumped in and pulled Matt from my grip.**

**Well, needless to say **_**that**_** rescue was a bit late.**

**With a growl, I swam back to land. Matt was shivering and attempting to answer the lifeguard's questions of if he was okay or not. I would check on him later though. I had other people to deal with. The one who had pushed my gamer friend in was sitting next to the diving board, his friend beside him, examining the bitten arm I gave. I was about to march over there and finish what I started, but Roger pulled me back by my forearm.**

"**Hey!" I yelled and tried to pull away from him, "Get off of me!" I wasn't finished with those jerks. Roger spun me around to face him and boy was he red in the face. "Stop being irrational Mello." he tried to hide the growl in his voice. I stopped and listened to him for once. I don't think I'd ever seen Roger so mad. Not even the time when I'd stuffed a Lego up Near's nose and they had to get it surgically removed. I pulled away from him and rushed over to Matt and the lame lifeguard who was bad at guarding lives before Roger could chew me out in front of everybody. I moved in front of the lifeguard lady to face Matt. He was still shivering and it looked like he was about to start sobbing. I folded him into my arms, trying to make it not seem totally gay because twelve other kids were now standing around and watching their entertainment for he day.**

"**You're all right Matty." I whispered to him, "It's okay." His damp head was resting on my bare shoulder. I heard some bystander "awwhh" so I gently pushed Matt away and stood up.**

"**C'mon let's go get your stuff." I said as I helped him up. He sniffed a bit before replying, "I bet my DS is ruined..." To this, I laughed.**

"**You're such a dork!" I teased, "Just moments ago you practically drowned and you're worried about the condition of your game?" We stopped to pick up the large backpack, towel, and of course the scratched up DS. I shook my head at Matt's glumness and started to walk toward the vending machine to get some chocolate. Matt grabbed my wrist like he had earlier and looked up at me through drying bangs.**

"**Thanks for always being there Mells. Even though he did almost forget about me dying feet from where you were fighting." I rolled my eyes at his light sarcasm and replied equally as sarcastic, "What are friends for?"**


End file.
